Chapter 1 The chicozapote (Manilkara zapota, Sapotaceae), an underdeveloped tropical fruit crop

Introduction

The chicozapote, also commonly known as the sapodilla, is an evergreen tree species [Manilkara zapota (L.) van Royen]. It is extensively used as a cultivated tree in tropical regions of Central America, India, and Southeast Asia (Morton 1987, Pennington 1990, Chadha 1992). This tree has been used for many purposes, the most common being fruit production and the extraction of the latex sap for use in chewing gum. A native to Mexico and Central America (Morton 1987, Pennington 1990), the chicozapote is now grown in most tropical regions of the world, with the largest plantations in India and Mexico. Production for latex reached a peak in the 1930s (Morton 1987), and is now a very minor use of this tree crop. The chicozapote's primary use is as a fruit tree. In 1992, there were 23,824 ha in India devoted to the production of the fruit, up from 2000 ha just 20 years ago (Chadha 1992). In Mexico, approximately 1800 ha were under production in 1994 (SAGAR 1995).

This paper is intended to bring together the widely spread information on this increasingly important fruit crop of the tropical regions. Past and present uses of the tree will be discussed, with special attention given to the cultivation of the tree in a plantation setting. The botany, nomenclature, and taxonomy of this crop will also be discussed.